we have one, it’s very exciting, it was a bargain and it’s a stand alone desktop … which means when I have a flex day and Mr Tasmania takes his work laptop away (to work, oddly enough) I am still hooked into the world – hooray! And can also do things like organise photos, work on my landscaping plans, email friends/family etc … though must admit that I’m starting to like the idea of writing letters again now that we’re a bit more settled.

We had rain yesterday, which was great, after a loooong humid day … only 5mm but it soaked straight in and the wind had dropped so the poor old plants actually got some benefit from it. Was handy for Mr Tasmania too, who has been busily shovelling enormous amounts of foundation gravel into the paths he’s constructed all around the house.

He gave them a bash with the whacker packer this arvo and they’re now sitting there in preparation for us to shovel about 3metres of gravel onto it tomorrow (that’s cubic metres btw) … we’ll just see how we go with that

I’m also working on a design using (at this point) 4 different shapes of conifer for an area around the bend of our drive … love it when an idea pops almost fully realised into your head and you just have to fill in the details ie names / types of plants (not that I know if I can find them in Tassie yet!), ground preparation etc … really fun! Love working to a vision

I’m inspired by the two vases currently on my windowsill as well – Mr Tasmania brought me home some lovely flowers and I have rosemary sprouting … must get that planted into a pot quite soon actually! … the garden is an extremely long project but it’s great to be getting the foundations happening … kinda like a house and a marriage now I come to think of it!

it is, yet again, a windy day … I had high hopes this morning, it looked like being beautiful … but no, dusty windy gusty blowy FILTHY horrible wind .. again …

There is dust, literally, all over the house … it’s too warm to keep it fully enclosed so I’ve had a few windows cracked open … unfortunately, it seems, just that little bit too far open … even the laptop keyboard is gritty!

sigh

still, I’ve replanted a couple of pot plants (and ran out of potting mix and pots) … generally pottered around slowly finishing a few jobs and putting things in their right place finally and shifting things into other areas … I’ve cleaned up another bookshelf and brought it to the study to sit in front of the desk and act like it’s an ‘office’ shelf thus freeing other bookshelves to be ‘library’ shelving … so I’ve also brought in all my Ag*tha Christi*s, a pile of various Hammond Innes, Desmond Bagley, Alistair McLain etc, and a couple of Kerry Greenwoods …

I’m loving having more of my books out but i’m also well aware that when we get the proper shelving for this area they’re all going to have to come off the shelves, move to the other side of the room, and then get put back on the shelf.

But, sufficient unto the day, bringing my books in is great

It was great, seriously windy but really interesting! I’m sunburnt and windburnt but we had a great day – will post pictures at some point when I have our computer back …

we’re having a visitor tomorrow … and she’s staying ’til Wednesday morning. We’re a bit excited!!!!!!!!!!!

We are being graced with the presence of the Deeleea, which is truly awesome, and we will have a fabulous time, and I’m very excited to have her visit and to show her (probably far too much) all sorts of stuff!

we went to the movies last night, saw the new Aussie flick ‘Bran Nue Day’ … well worth it, was hilarious! Mind you, I’m a sucker for a musical generally, but this was awesome. Gotta love Ernie Dingo, Deborah Mailman, and Jessica Mauboy can really sing! Didn’t know Ernie could but loved his rough blues.

I’ve been planting and transplanting a bit, got 2x 128 pod seed trays yesterday for $3 so couldn’t resist planting one of them up with seeds which are a bit old – you never know! I put in 24x violet queen bush beans, 4 rows of 2 sizes of cornflower, and some nasturtiums. I also planted out 4 black jack zucchini seedlings to larger pots. One of our local mags, Burke’s B*ckyard, had a free pack of cool season tomatoes on the front this month, they’re trying an experiment to see if they’ll grow in cooler areas. Whilst it’s actually at the hottest and driest part of the year in this part of Tassie (and yes, of course whilst I’m typing this it has started to rain! First time in about 5 weeks!!!) I thought well why not give it a go? Most of the tomatoes planted earlier are all bearing massively at the moment (tho’ as I planted none I have none of course). It’ll be interesting to see what comes of it. There are 4 different types, 3 shrubby ones up to 1.5m tall, and one that will apparently climb to 3 metres! I’ve planted about half of each type of seed and I’m going to photocopy the info and send the rest up to dad to see if he wants to join in the experiment – I know they haven’t had time for a vegie garden this year and it certainly gets colder up there than here so could be quite interesting. The mag wants people to write in and let them know how they’ve gone so I’ve started keeping a little record.

I’m finding myself vaguely unsettled … non specific angst again I guess

This time in terms of job / career / qualifications / study / interests etc …..

I’m starting to think maybe it’s time to start at least vaguely looking for another job …. This job rarely stretches me … and to be honest there’s not scope for it in the job I do … which has suited me very well for the last three years … but possibly is now starting to suit not so much. However there are other things to take into account …. I get reasonable pay … I have a good salary sacrifice deal … I get a day off a fortnight … I’d basically have to punch the boss in the nose to get fired …. My skills are not really that up to date .. .all things to consider … especially now we’re paying a good solid mortgage.

The skills thing is something to think about too … it’s harder to update here as there’s just not the breadth of training courses available … and what do I want to update anyway? I’m thinking some updating of what I can already do would be good, especially things like the old accounting system I used to use (which has moved on a tad in 4 years but is still in great use especially in small business) … and then maybe adding a few things I can’t do ie web design of any sort, photoshop (I know, I worked in a design studio, but all that means is that you get them to do that sort of stuff!) …

I’ve had a quick look online today (had to look up an educational site for work so took the opportunity to hoon around a bit!) and found quite a few interesting courses … but no full courses that I was really interested in ….

But I’m just thinking now (back home now, about 6 hours later) that maybe all I really need to do is save up a few dollars in my little slush fund and get back to doing what I used to do in Sydney and even back home in Mittagong – short interesting courses ie leadlighting, mosaicing, picture framing …. maybe I could pick up some of the cooking classes which interested me last year but a) it was too far away after a day’s work and b) I was involved in the house …

Maybe I’m not really angsty just not used to working/living at a ‘normal’ pace?

hmmm…..

have not posted for quite some time I find …. and not much to say now …

has been very very busy since 23/12/09 …. christmas, the parents here, working around the house, actually doing some relaxing!, and now I’m just heading into the last day of my first week back at work ….

Mr Tasmania has been working away on housework, seeing mates, doing stuff in the shed he’s wanted to do for ages (involving welding, drill press, vice, all sorts of things) ….

and yes … looks like it’s going to be a another busy year … but a lot more on our terms and on our timetable rather than that dictated by builders and deadlines etc

whilst Mr TAsmania and my parents are at church.

We went to the boot sale on the foreshore in Wynyard, with plans to all go to church, but I got them to drop me back at home and go by themselves.

I call it unspecific angst … happens occasionally, once for 6 months re church

This time? Well, I had a thought that I actually don’t like the two senior pastors …. and when I thought about it again I thought well, it’s not that I can’t stand them I just don’t particularly think much of them … and that’s an unusual position for me, because, out of all the ministers and pastors I’ve sat under (Christian jargon really paints a picture doesn’t it!) over the years I’ve always had at least RESPECT for the person even if I’ve disagreed with what/how they preach or they personally give me the pip. That makes me sound unreasonable because I can really only think of a couple who’ve really bothered me, including one who I like as a person (he’s lovely) but absolutely cannot STAND to listen to preach … and, having been in pentecostal churches for a while, you do tend to acquire an enormous number more pastors than you do in say an Anglican church, where you may have the Minister, his assistant minister, and possibly a couple of other odds and sods … penty’s tend to accumulate hoards!

Anyhoo … I’ve cleaned the bathroom, a load of washing is nearly finished, I’ve read half a newspaper, and now I”m going to vacuum ….

I may be suffering from angst but at least the house will be heading towards clean

we did it, we survived it, and it was good (mostly)

my first Christmas away from the family, our first Christmas in our new house, our first Christmas hosting Mr Tasmania’s family….

it was good, the ham worked (all 8.5kg’s of it!), the turkey roll worked, the salads worked, the wine worked!, the day was good, the people were good, and a good time was had by all.

we did not enjoy the washing up particularly but are thankful for all the hard organisation and cleaning work done beforehand so it was a lot easier than it could’ve been

We are now bathing, relaxing, enjoying our holidays – and wish the same for YOU!

Short and sweet tonight, it’s 9.05pm Christmas Eve and we’ve been flat out all day and the Christmas Tree so far has tinsel on it … that’s it … am about to take my little glass of dolce and my vegemite sandwich and go and do some decorating whilst listening to the carols at the Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne (have already been to the Wynyard Christmas Parade – the only one on the North WEst Coast on Christmas Eve – loved it!).

Blessings to you and all of yours and our prayers for a lovely Christmas and a wonderful 2010 to come!

Mrs Tasmania, Mr Tasmania, and JD the Wonder Dog

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